Forgotten Happiness
by Aqua Kitty 1864
Summary: Written for the LJ A2A holiday exchange. Damon takes Elena and Jeremy to Disney for Christmas. They don't go on all the rides but they do manage to see a special friendly ghost. For: txvdfan


_AN- For the Damon and Elena Fic Exchange on Live Journal! It's pretty neat and it has such awesome story ideas! This story is dedicated to __txvdfan__ who wanted a Damon and Elena getaway story. I hope you all like it._

* * *

Elena hated being in the car. She had ever since her parents died going off the bridge, then when she and Matt went off the exact bridge it was too much. She was a vampire and didn't need to use cars to move around so when Damon told her they were going away on some secret road trip mission. She wasn't too happy about being in the car for hours but she trusted Damon and wanted to be with him so she went along even though she had no idea where they were going.

Elena sighed. It was almost Christmas but it would be the first Christmas without her parents or Aunt Jenna and Uncle John. She had her friends and her brother but she had never honestly felt more alone. She always tried to put on a brave face for Jeremy, she even went out and got a small Christmas tree and decorated it. She was fine, at least that what she told everyone when they asked. No one bothered enough to ask her if she was really fine.

The trip seemed to last forever. They only stopped a few times so Jeremy could use the bathroom.

Finally, the arrived at their destination. Elena looked through her window and gasped with she saw a huge pole with Mickey's head at the top. "Disney Land?!" Elena shrieked. "Why are we at Disney?"

"We are here to have fun." Jeremy replied with a smile.

"I'm sure there are plenty of fun things to do at Mystic Falls." Elena groaned.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have done any of them."

"Yes I would, I did everything with you guys, I looked and brought a Christmas tree. I decorated said Christmas tree with friends gathered all around me and I even went out with the girls and went Christmas caroling."

Damon looked to Jeremy as they pulled into their parking spot of the hotel they were staying at. "Go check in for me. Here is the credit card and the information you need."

Jeremy nodded and left the car. Then Damon turned to Elena and sighed. "Yeah, you did do all those things but you didn't enjoy any of it. You followed me around like a lost puppy when we went looking for a tree and then agreed to get the first tree I suggested so we could leave faster, then you hung the ornaments on the tree like you were a robot and lastly you lip synced to almost every song you sang."

Elena looked around the window acting like she didn't hear him but Damon didn't react in anger. He needed her to know that he cared and he was there for her.

"You did those things, Elena but your heart wasn't in it. I can see it in your eyes, Elena. You're not happy, you lost the spark, the glow, the happiness, and it's all gone. I don't have to ask why. I know why, but this isn't what anyone who has passed on would have wanted for you."

"I'm fine, Damon. Everything is perfectly fine." Elena said in an annoyed tone.

"No, you're acting like it is for your brother's sake. I admire you for that. As an older sibling I know how tough it is when you need to be strong so the baby sibling doesn't worry or get scared. I've been there, Elena. I also know that at some point you need to start worrying about yourself and do what is best for you."

"I'm a vampire now, Damon. What I want and need doesn't matter anymore."

"That's not true, Elena! Look, regardless of if you agree or not that's why we are here. You need to start having fun again and Disney is just the place to make it happen."

"You can't make me."

"No, but I can throw you over my shoulder and carry you inside and we will force you to have fun again and you know I'm not kidding Elena."

Elena growled. He would literally remove her from the car and carry her inside. She knew she had no choice. Damon was in charge today and it just seemed easier to let him have his way. She sighed and unbuckled herself and got out of the car and went inside with Damon following behind her.

Elena just sighed annoyed at her brother and Damon talking. "You two and driving me nuts! Where is my room? I want to go relax."

"You mean our room?" Damon smirked. "We're all in one room, and we are going to go to the room unpack freshen up, maybe feed, and then go to Disney and begin this adventure of fun. You are not allowed to rest."

"What? Damon I'm tired." Elena whined.

"You're a vampire, Elena. You don't get tired." Damon laughed.

Elena groaned.

"Now if you follow us we will take you to the room." Damon said with a smirk.

Elena sighed defeated and followed them up the elevator to the room on the second floor. Damon opened the door and everyone went inside. The second they were inside Elena ran into the bathroom and locked herself in. They boys laughed.

They boys began to unpack the bags.

"Hey, Elena, human needs to use the bathroom." Jeremy said.

"Well hold it!" Elena growled.

"Whoa, someone is a little angry." Jeremy laughed.

"You do realize she isn't going to come out." Damon asked.

"What? She'll come out. She's a girl, Damon they take forever in the bathroom." Jeremy told him matter of factly.

"Yeah but why isn't the shower running or the sink turned on?"

"She could be fixing her hair or putting on make-up."

Damon shook her head. "She never takes this long in the bathroom."

Jeremy chose to ignore the fact that Damon knew about his sister's bathroom habits. "Damon, she's fine. Just leave her alone."

Damon sighed and looked at the bathroom door and then to Jeremy.

"Well, I can't wait; I'm going back down to the lobby." Jeremy said and rushed out of the room.

"All right, Elena. Jeremy is gone. I was being nice for him but you know I'm right. You can't lock yourself in there forever. You'll have to come out to feed."

"And I will, once you check us out of here and we go back home."

"Elena, you've never gone very long without blood, it's physically painful. You'll need to feed before then." Damon warned.

"I lost almost my entire family. That's more painful than anything else in this world!" Elena growled.

Damon went over to the bathroom door and leaned against the frame. "You're allowed to be hurting, Elena. You've lost so many people in such a short amount of time. It's ok to hurt and grieve, but you can't stop living, Elena. You can't just give up. It's not what your family wants for you. They'd want you to grieve, but then move on with your life. Go to Disney with your friends and enjoy yourself. Celebrate Christmas and enjoy it. Elena, Baby, I'm not going to let your starve yourself just to protest us having fun. If you really don't want to be here I'll take you home. But I really think you'll have fun and I really think you should stay and enjoy it."

Finally he heard a click and the door unlocked. He slipped inside and knelt down in front of Elena sitting on the toilet. "What's going on?"

"I don't want to be here because I've been here once before with my parents. That summer before they died we were here and we had so much fun and we laughed and we were a family." Elena choked out as tears filled her eyes.

"So you're not against having fun, you're just against the place because of the memoires?" Damon asked.

Elena nodded. She sniffed softly. "I'm sorry, if I was a jerk to you. I just…I don't want to be here."

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you first…"

"You had good intentions."

"We have to make new memories Elena. Nothing to replace your parents, use it as a guideline, a foundation, always remembering them but building from that. Do you think you can do that for me baby?"

Elena nodded softly. "I can try, but I may have a few moments."

Damon nodded. "Take as long as you need." He smiled. "On second thought, you have ten minutes max before I come back in here."

Elena nodded and for the first time in such a long time, Elena actually…smiled.

"There is that beautiful smile."

"Thank you, Damon. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Lena."

They kissed on the lips and they both stood up.

"I'm really going to freshen up in here, splash some cold over on my face. I'll be right out. I promise." Elena said.

Damon nodded and kissed both her eyes, making her giggle. Then he left.

* * *

A couple minutes later Damon and Elena were walking down the hallway when they ran into Jeremy.

"Wow. Who knew that you would finally leave the bathroom?" Jeremy teased.

"Hey! I just had to do my makeup."

"Yea yea."

"Hey!" Elena smiled again. Damon was right; she was going to have a fun time.

"Well, now that the gang is all here, let's go have some fun!" Jeremy smiled.

"Let's do it!"Elena cheered and they all took off running…human speed, down the hallway.

They arrived at the entrance and Elena flinched back.

"Are you ok?" Damon asked with a protective hand on her shoulder.

Elena nodded.

"Having a moment?" he asked softly.

Elena shook her head. "Everyone just smells. This is the first time I've been around huge crowds like this."

"Just take some deep breaths; you're going to be fine. I brought some bags of blood just in case. If you need it let me know and we will take you some place empty and you can have some."

Elena nodded and hugged him as the three of them entered the park.

"…I didn't want to go on without my parents and Jeremy didn't want to go on by himself so we just decided to stick to the light shows and slow train rides around the park and the 4-D interactive shows." Elena said.

"You guys are so lame!" Damon groaned. "Well your parents aren't here now so you're going on a rollercoaster!"

"You don't have to rub it in, Damon!" Elena growled.

Damon sighed. "I'm sorry, Elena. I didn't mean it that way."

"No, I'm sorry. I know you weren't rubbing it in. Stupid heightened emotions."

The boys chuckled. "Anyway, you're going to go on a rollercoaster even if I have to drag you on their myself."

"Damon, I'm finally able to keep the blood from the bags down I don't want to risk anything that's going to make me lose that. But if you two want to go I'll be fine down here." Elena answered.

"Nah, I'll wait down here with my beautiful girl." Damon told her.

Elena smiled at him and snuggled into his arms. He kissed the top of her head.

"What about you, Jer?" Elena asked looking to Jeremy. He was looking at the empty spot next to him and he looked like he was listening intently to something….or rather someone… "Jeremy!"

He jumped. "What? Sorry, I was just thinking, what did you say?"

"Who are you looking at?" Damon asked.

"Nobody, just thinking." Jeremy said quickly.

"Jer, it's ok. I've been doing that all day." Elena said thinking she knew what was going on.

"You have?" Jeremy replied confused.

"Of course, Jer, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. I've been having those moments all day."

Jeremy sighed in relief. "Yeah, that's what it is. I was having a moment."

Elena smiled softly and patted his back. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. So what's going on?"

"Your sister doesn't want to go on a roller coaster…"

"Yea. She never did like them too much."

"Well I'm going to go on one. I'll see you two love birds later." Jeremy walked off.

"What are we going to do?" Elena asked Damon with a slight tilt of her head.

"I've got an idea." Damon said with a wink.

He took her hand and led her over to the line of the Ferris wheel.

Elena just giggled. "And here I thought you were going to take me on something cheesy like the Tunnel of Love."

"Nope, this is much more romantic."

Elena just giggled and shook her head. Then she turned serious. "I don't think I would have liked the Tunnel of Love anyway."

"Why not?"

"A couple reasons."

"Care to share them?"

"Not really." Elena mumbled.

"You know I won't laugh. Does it have to do with your parents?"

"Part of. My parents always went of the Tunnel of Love when we came here. Since Jeremy and I weren't old enough to be left alone we went in one of the small boats behind them."

"What's the other part?"

"Um…well….I…" Elena bit her lower lip. She looked to the floor and mumbled something.

Damon sighed softly and lifted her chin to look at him. "It's ok to be scared of the water, Elena. After all you've been through with Matt, and your parents, it's natural. When you're ready I can help you overcome it, but only when you're ready."

Elena nodded softly but still had a frown on her face.

"Hey, don't be sad, Lena. I'm glad you told me."

He kissed her forehead softly.

The line continued to move forward until finally they were up. They gave the man their tickets and picked a bench and sat down. The man lowered the bar and went back to the control.

The rode all the way up to the top, once they were at the top Damon pulled Elena into his arms and kissed her passionately.

Seconds later when the ride started to move again they pulled back.

"I personally liked the first time better." Elena giggled.

"Me too, but I thought this would be fun."

"It was." Elena giggled.

Damon smiled at her.

"What?" she giggled shyly.

"It's just so good to see you laugh."

Elena just giggled. "Thanks for helping me live life again, Damon."

"Anytime."

They kissed passionately again. The ride came to a stop and they pulled away as the man came to removed the bar and let them out.

Damon and Elena headed back to the rollercoaster, holding hands laughing and joking as they went.

Jeremy looked horrible.

"Jer, are you ok?" Elena asked.

He just groaned and grabbed his stomach.

"Looks, like you've got mom's weak stomach." Elena told him.

He just groaned again.

Elena went over to him and rubbed his back. "Do you need to use the restroom?"

Jeremy nodded and covered his mouth and took off running. Elena sighed and glared at Damon.

"Hey, he wanted to go on! This time it's not my fault!" Damon defended.

Elena just shook her head and sighed. "I'm going to get him some food."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Damon asked.

"Nah, I'll be right back."

Elena headed off towards the bathroom to check on Jeremy first.

* * *

Once she was close enough to the bathrooms without being seen she heard him talking.

"Yeah, I went on the rollercoaster just like you told me to. Now I feel like I'm going to throw up…yeah, it was worth it. You were right. When I saw Elena again she was smiling and giggling like she used to. Damon had helped her to have fun."

Elena looked confused. Who was he talking to?

"No, I didn't really need to use the bathroom before. I just knew the only way Elena would come out was if I left and she had a chance to talk to Damon alone. Everything you have told me do to help Elena has worked. So thank you."

Elena walked to behind the small building where the bathrooms were located and saw Jeremy standing there talking to himself.

"I wish you could stay long, Ric. I like being able to see you and talk to you."

"Jeremy…"

He spun around and saw Elena.

"Elena I…"

"It's ok. I don't want to stop you. I was hoping you'd help me talk to him too."

Jeremy smiled and nodded. "Come here."

Elena walked over to stand next to her brother. "Hey, Ric."

Jeremy laughed. "He says he's been gone this whole time and all you can say is Hi Ric?"

Elena giggled. "I've miss you soo much."

"He misses you too." Jeremy said. "He also says that he'd glad to see you enjoying yourself again and being happy. He and the others were starting to worry about you."

Elena smiled sadly. "I was in a bad place for a while, but my friends helped me through."

"Ric wants you to know its ok to lean on us when you need it. Don't be scared to ask for help or expressing your feelings."

Elena nodded as tears filled her eyes. "I love you, Ric."

"He loves you too, Elena, so much. But he's going to leave now. He wants us to enjoy the rest of our adventure of fun."

"Bye Ric, give Jenna a kiss for us." Elena said sniffling back tears.

Jeremy started to laugh hysterically.

"What?" Elena asked giggling softly.

"He says to give Damon a kiss for him."

Elena burst into giggles too.

"Oh and he also says to tell Damon it's ok to let someone else sit in his seat at The Grill."

Elena nodded.

Jeremy inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath. "He's gone."

The two siblings shared a hug both letting a few tears fall.

They pulled back and Elena smiled softly. "How is your stomach?"

"Ok, I'm not a close to throwing up as I was before. But I still feel sick."

"I think you just need to rest. Come on, let's go back to Damon." Elena said. They two of them headed back to Damon.

Elena walked over to Damon and cuddled into his arms.

"Are you all right?" he asked kissing her head.

"Just another moment." Elena answered.

Damon rubbed her back and kissed her head.

"I've been seeing Ric since we got here. He's been helping me, help Elena. Elena got to talk to him a little before he left." Jeremy explained.

"Are you all right?" Damon asked once more.

Elena nodded. "Honestly better than I've felt in such a long time. Oh and Damon, Ric wanted me to tell you that it's ok to let people sit in his seat at The Grill."

Damon tensed but didn't show it. He didn't like talking about Ric. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Come on, who is hungry?"

He started to walk away. Elena sighed softly. But then smiled as she chased after him, grabbing him around the waist and pulling him in for a kiss. "Hey. It's okay. I miss him too." Elena wiped a tear from Damon's eye and then kissed his cheek. "Come on. Let's go see the castle."

"The castle?"

"Damon. It's Christmas… at Disney land. We need to see Cinderella's castle all lit up with the lights for Christmas."

Damon smiled at her expression. "Okay. To the castle we go."

They made it just in time for the parade and to see the lighting of the castle. Elena was snuggled in Damon's arm and she didn't think that it could have been a better day. She hadn't through it would work. In fact she thought this trip was going to be a disaster. But as it turns out she was actually having fun and she was starting to feel better. She had a good feeling that the rest of this trip was going to be nothing but fun and laughter and when they got home Elena was really going to be in the Christmas Spirit.

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_AN- I hope you like it! Please let me know if you like it by leaving a review! __Also,__I __love __requests! I live for requests, If you have an idea for a story you would like to see written, please don't hesitate to send me a message! Would love to hear from you :)_


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